PARTICIPATION IN SOUTH ASIAN SOCIAL FORESTRY - CHASING A MIRAGE

Since the 1970s, a major shift in forestry development and management has occurred, with the introduction of 'participatory approaches' to f orestry use and management. The central idea of these new initiatives, commonly launched under the umbrella of the term 'Social Forestry' (S F), has been 'people's participation' in the regeneration and manageme nt of forest. Protagonists claim that SF has opened a new vista for po pular involvement in forestry activities, which was hitherto treated a s a monopoly of the government technocrats. By deploying a conceptual framework, this paper probes into the performance of Social Forestry a s a participative strategy in the context of South Asia. It concludes that, albeit the widespread popularity and advocacy, the role of Socia l Forestry in ensuring participation and in empowering the local popul ace has been insignificant and marginal. Participation in Social Fores try, in the present form, is yet another style of bureaucratic manipul ation, where people are 'invited' to 'act' within the strict limits an d guidance of central authority.